The Allstate Sugar Bowl Track & Field Classic returns to Tad Gormley Stadium this Friday and Saturday with a tremendous field of athletes from around the Southeast. With over 100 teams and 1,900 entries, the event will once again be the largest high school track and field invitational in Louisiana, as it has been since 1993. Admission is $5 per day, children under 12 are free.

Can't Miss Events:Girls 400 - Prelims Friday, Finals Saturday afternoonLed by Hilary Woods from Xavier Prep, should be one of the feature races of Saturday's final heats with challengers and local rivals Marquita Stalbert of McDonogh 35 (58.94), Diamond Every of Edna Karr (59.63), Kayla Quincy of Xavier Prep (1:00.14) and Andi Aguilar of Mt. Carmel (1:00.37).

Girls' sprint hurdles (100m) - Prelims Friday, Finals Saturday afternoonShould be outstanding battle between local leaders Bryianna Richardson of Ben Franklin and Jasmine George of Higgins as well as Irikas Bellock of Helen Cox and out-of-state challengers Jessica Shelley of Hoover, Ala., and Lacey Dent of St. Paul's, Ala.

Boys 3,200-meter run - Saturday, 11 a.m.Brent Kitto of Holy Cross is currently ranked as New Orleans metro's top 1600 meter runner. He was the 2009 Class 3A state runner-up in cross country, the 2010 indoor Division II runner-up in the 1600 and a state scorer each of the last two years at 3200. He'll be joined by Stuart Graham of St. Paul's Episcopal in Mobile, who ranks as Alabama's top 3200 meter runner; Mandeville High's Bryan Mutell, one of New Orleans metro's top 3200 & 1600 meter runners; Derek Westbrook of Hancock Co, Miss., one of the top 3200 runners this spring in Mississippi; Ben Redmond of Spanish Fort, Ala., who is ranked behind Graham as Alabama's top 3200 runner; as well as Stefan Schluter and Christian Clesi, both star 3200 runners from Brother Martin.

Boys long hurdles (300m) - Prelims Friday, Finals Saturday afternoonShould be strong battle between top metro long hurdlers Ra'kym Andres of St. Augustine, with fastest time of under 40 seconds, and 2009 Catholic District runner-up Morgan Cormier of Brother Martin (just a sophomore) and Catholic League champion Shawn Jackson of St. Aug.

Boys sprint hurdles (100m) - Prelims Friday, Finals Saturday afternoonThe event might be billed as the Mardi Gras Showdown, pitting New Orleans against Mobile, two Mardi Gras-centric cities. New Orleans metro's best hurdlers, Ra'kym Andres and Shawn Jackson of St. Augustine and Jarvis Harris of Jesuit go up against a trio of Alabama's best in Thaddeus Curtis and Brandon Norwood of Murphy High (Mobile, AL) and their cross-town rival Brandon Nettles of McGill-Toolen.

Boys 100-meter dash - Prelims Friday, Finals Saturday afternoonA Northshore-Southshore showdown as Northshore High's Adam Chopin, the fastest 100-meter sprinter in New Orleans, goes up against Liroy Cage from Archbishop Rummel; Cage is among the best in both the 100 and 200 sprints.

Top-Rated Athletes:Cory McGee - Pass Christian, Miss.National ranked during indoor season in girls 800; has been nationally ranked the past two outdoor seasons at 1600; three-time Mississippi 800 & 1600 champion and holds Mississippi record for 800 & 1600 meter runs; during summer age-group track has been national champion several times in both 800 & 1600.

Merritt Van Meter - Country DayCurrently the No. 2 ranked girls pole vaulter (13-2) in the USA behind state rival Morgann Leleux of Catholic HS of New Iberia, nation's leader at 13-7; Merritt will also throw javelin and has signed track scholarship to compete for North Carolina in September.

Margaret Harkness - St. Paul's Episcopal, Ala.Continues the tradition of St. Paul's girls distance aces and ranks with Alabama's best in both 800 & 1600.

Carmen Carlos - McGill-Toolen, Ala.Ranks with state's best at 1600; will face cross-town rival Margaret Harkness of St. Paul's and state challenger Maggie Rickland of Montgomery Academy in 1600 race.

Hilary Woods - Xavier PrepCurrently ranked with state's best at 400; has the top metro time of 58.76; will anchor her team's three relay squads: 4x400R, 4x100R and 4x200R which all rank with metro's best.

Devin Rolland - CabriniLast year's top ranked metro girls' longer jumper having leaped over 18 feet and one of state's best; her top challengers are Toshika Sylvester of Phoenix, Janessa Hunter of Xavier Prep, Bernadette Derosier of West Jefferson and Marlesia Carey of McDonogh 35, all near 17 feet.

Toshika Sylvester - PhoenixMetro's best sprinter/long jumper as she is currently ranked with metro's best in both 100 (12.36) and 200 (26.26) and long jump of 17 feet.

Adam Chopin - Northshore HS (Slidell)Ranks as New Orleans metro's fastest 100 meter sprinter; will anchor his school's two sprint relays - 4x100 and 4x200 teams who will battle St. Aug for those titles.

Liroy Cage - Archbishop RummelShould be a great sprint final - billed as a Southshore vs. Northshore battle for bragging rights, Cage vs. Chopin; Cage ranks with metro's best in both 100 & 200 sprints.

Cyril Grayson - Archbishop RummelJust a sophomore, Grayson leads the metro with the fastest time in the 800, having run 1:58.60, and ranks with the state's Class 5A leaders from Catholic High of Baton Rouge. Will face a challenge from top quartet from Alabama in Stew Shoemaker of Bayside Academy, Ben Redmond of Spanish Fort, who will also compete in the 3200, Vincent White of Leflore and Jeneil Miles of Murphy.